In a surprising twist in the ongoing transatlantic trade spat, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has admitted that the European Union may have shot itself in the foot by targeting American whiskey in its retaliation against U.S. tariffs. Speaking on France Inter radio on Sunday, Bayrou suggested that slapping duties on Kentucky bourbon might have been a hasty misstep, one that could now jeopardise France’s beloved cognac industry as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens a staggering 200% tariff on all EU wines and spirits.
The drama kicked off when Trump, never one to shy away from a bold move, fired a warning shot on Thursday: scrap the EU’s planned tax on U.S. bourbon, or face crippling duties on everything from French Chardonnay to Italian Prosecco. The EU’s initial counter-tariffs—set to hit American goods like bourbon from April 1—were a response to U.S. duties on steel and aluminium. But Bayrou now wonders if the bloc picked the wrong fight. “Have some missteps been made? Yes, probably,” he mused, pointing out that bourbon hardly poses a “trade threat” to Europe.
For British readers, this saga might feel like a spectator sport—after all, the UK’s post-Brexit trade landscape means we’re not directly in the EU’s firing line. Yet, the ripple effects could still hit our shores. Scotch whisky, a cornerstone of British exports, might not escape unscathed if Trump’s tariff threats escalate into a broader booze war. And with the EU digging through what Bayrou called a “very old product list” for its retaliation, one has to wonder: could British gin or ale end up as collateral damage in a future skirmish?
The real sting, though, is being felt across the Channel. French cognac producers, already reeling from tariffs imposed by Beijing in a separate row over EU duties on Chinese electric cars, now face a double whammy. Bayrou, who met with cognac industry leaders on Friday, is pinning his hopes on diplomatic talks with both Washington and Beijing to defuse the situation. He’s even planning a trip to China—date TBD—to smooth things over. But with Trump’s deadline looming and the EU’s bourbon tariffs just weeks away, the clock is ticking.
Bayrou’s candid admission shines a light on the chaos of tit-for-tat trade wars. “A list was retrieved without it being checked like it should have been,” he said, hinting at a bureaucratic blunder that could cost European producers dearly. For the UK, it’s a reminder of the tightrope we walk in a global economy where one misstep—like targeting a Kentucky distillery—can spark a chain reaction from Washington to Paris to Beijing.
As the tariff tussle unfolds, European producers are left holding their breath. Will Bayrou’s call for talks avert disaster, or will Trump’s 200% threat pour fuel on an already fiery dispute? For now, it’s a sobering lesson in how a bottle of bourbon can stir up a geopolitical storm. Stay tuned—and maybe stock up on that duty-free cognac while you still can.
